SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Driving is the most popular way Americans head out of town for Memorial Day weekend, which means filling up your gas tank.
More than 37 million Americans take to the road for Memorial Day and they need to fill up their gas tanks before they go. Luckily, this year gas prices are significantly lower than last year, more than $1.25 less here in Massachusetts alone. However, with a little planning there are ways you can save even more.
First, think about where you fill up. Gas prices vary per state. The average price for a gallon of regular will cost you the most in Connecticut at $3.57 per gallon. Vermont is the next highest at $3.52. Maine follows at $3.49. In Massachusetts, the average is $3.47, Rhode Island dips to $3.44 and New Hampshire comes in with the best deal at $3.39 per gallon.
If you do need gas, it’s best to get off the highway and avoid those rest stops. You’ll find cheaper prices if you travel a mile or two into town. AAA experts say there many apps that track prices, you can task one of your passengers with looking them up. Also, think back to what you did when prices were sky high.
“Redeploy some of the strategies you might have learned last year when gas prices were at a record level. That means wholesale clubs offer a discount on gas, many people have rewards programs though credit cards or AAA memberships… that sort of thing which can shave some pennies off the prices of a gallon,” said Mark Sheildrop of AAA Northeast.
Heidi Vane is a Connecticut resident traveling to Vermont this weekend. She’s already been planning her strategy, “I tend to drive over the line into Massachusetts because the gas is cheaper than Connecticut, so I fill up before I go.”
Last year, gas prices were near the $5 a gallon mark in every New England state.